Endoscopic Instrument Movable Thermal Contact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Endoscopic instruments face thermal mismatch issues due to differing coefficients of thermal expansion in components, leading to physical failure during autoclaving, especially in instruments with dedicated cooling structures like heat pipes.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a movable contact structure between the thermal conduit and heat sink to accommodate relative motion and maintain thermal coupling, allowing for sliding, rolling, or flexible contact to prevent damage during temperature changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If rigid thermal connections are used between thermal conduit and heat sink, then thermal management performance is improved, but reliability deteriorates during autoclaving due to thermal expansion mismatch
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by replacing rigid thermal connections with flexible or movable contact structures. The thermal conduit is allowed to move relative to the heat sink through flexible connections, sliding contacts, or rolling contacts, enabling the system to accommodate thermal expansion differences during autoclaving while maintaining thermal management functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the mechanical state of the thermal connection from rigid to flexible or movable. By altering the connection parameters (from fixed rigidity to flexible compliance), the system can withstand thermal cycling and autoclaving temperatures without failing, while still providing effective heat transfer.
2Temperature
If heat pipes are used for sensor cooling, then image sensor cooling performance is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional thermal management components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing the flexible connection structure to serve multiple functions: it provides thermal conduction, accommodates thermal expansion, and maintains mechanical connection. This multi-functional approach reduces the need for separate dedicated components for each function, thereby managing complexity while achieving effective sensor cooling.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables endoscopic instruments to withstand elevated temperatures during autoclaving without disrupting the thermal connection between the thermal conduit and heat sink, ensuring the integrity of the thermal management system.
Implementation Method 1
the differing coefficients of thermal expansion of the various components making up such instruments
Implementation Method 2
differential thermal expansion/contraction of the instrument structure
Implementation Method 3
a thermal conduit to ensure that the heat generated by such imaging sensors are shunted away
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical instrument comprises a heat generating component, a heat sink, an elongate shaft extending from the heat generating component to the heat sink, and an elongate thermal conduit extending within the elongate shaft between the heat generating component and the heat sink. The surgical instrument also comprises a movable contact structure thermally coupled between the elongate thermal conduit and the heat generating component. The elongate thermal conduit extends into the movable contact structure and the movable contact structure is movable relative to the heat generating component.